wake on the sofa, her body stiff, her mind restless. She had fallen asleep there, not wanting to share a bed with Mark, whose

ut incident. She could go to the university, bury herself in work, pr

vy knock shook the door. Th

ing her robe tigh

e called, clipped an

omach

ir uniforms sharp, their faces unreadable. Behind them

asked, her

pping open a small notepad. "You're wanted for quest

it her lik

la... she-she killed herself. I tol

one flat. "You can explain at the stati

rom the hallway. "What the he

sed against his chest. She felt a surge of panic. "He's not well," she said qui

er stepped forward and gestured f

r wrists. The cold steel bit into her skin, and shame flooded throu

umped against the wall, his face twisting in pain. "This...

icers didn'

e an eternity, each step echoing in her

sinfectant. A single bulb flickered above the steel table where she sat. She c

is tie loosened but his demeanor intense. Besi

d with suspicion. "We've received conflicting accounts a

u. It was just the two of us. We drank, we talked. She was... she

ward. "Are you sure it w

ning to spill out. If she mentioned him, her career was finished. A law

though her voice cracked

ks. He didn't press, not yet. Instead, he flipped a folder open and slid

her face away. "Why ar

" the detective said quietly. "Someone pushed her there, whethe

e wanted to scream. It was his affair, his manip

gging into her spine, the murmurs of other detainees filli

ppeared at the ba

d, her l

been b

ly replaced by dread. Bailed. Someone ha

younger brother, tall and sharp-suited, his presenc

aid simply, holdin

ying to read his expres

flat. "At least for now. But don't think for a se

a moment too long before

ould feel the weight of judgment pressing on her from every direction. When they reached

id you ki

t jeal

ark coverin

ad down, her hair falling like a curtain around her

ver his lap, his breathing shallow. His eyes met her

his house," he muttered, h

? You dare speak of shame after

said nothing. The silence w

morning, her phone buzzed with an officia

her. The once-respected Professor Kayla M

ted herself for it, but his name lingered like a spark in her chest. When her phone l

you

rembled as sh

t I wi

o longer cracks. They were fractures, spreading wide a